Apparatus for testing ventilation



, 1,609,016 F. L. FAIRBANKS APPARATUS FOR TESTING VENTILATION Nav. 3o192e.

Filed March 14. -1925 lill um Muveuon f ATToRm-.Y

Patented Nov. 30, l.

iso-9,016

PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK L. FAIRBANKS, OF ITHACA, NEW YORK.

. APPARTS FOR TESTING VENTILATION.

Application filed March 14. 1925. Serial No. 15,661.

This' invention relates to the art of heatand Ventilating, being* ameans for studying the 'moifenient l' air current even when they arecirculating slowly. More speciiically, it is an imjjjroven'ient in theA. C. or ammonium chloride apparatus used by heating and Ventilating'engineers to pro- 'duce a smoke by which currents of air may be traced.In the apparatus used in the past the smoke producing' chemicals werecombined by a pair of atoniaers carried on the person of the operatorand pumped by him when smoke was desired. This type ot apparatus' tendedto bec-ome clogged by excessive production of the smoke particles at thenozle, and required frequent cleaning. It difficult to get a steadysmoke of unifo'rni 'density with such apparatus, and in addition thebody oithe operator cut oil some 'of the air currents, while in the caseof large cold btiildin'gs such as barns lthe heat from the operatorsbody impaired the results. The object ot this invention is 'to Yprovideimproved 'tor'm of apparatus, -which will not become clogged i'iorrequire frequent cleaning, and lwhich is also self-acting and @ap-ane 0fbeing pasea at a distance where 'the air 'currents may appreach it fromany direction undisturbed, 'while the apparatus gives an even and steadysmoke production. Another 'object ci. the A'rnvention is to reduce thecost and complex-ity of suoli apparatus, so that itmay c'oine into moregeneral use.

Referring); now to the drawing, Fig. l iliustrat'es in verticalcross-section "one form 'of the appara-tus. It consists ot a bowi lprovided with la cover 2, rwhich may be lifted 'dft'. `Within this bowll is placed another bowl 3, which is provided with a removable 'cover4:. yThe inner bowl '3 is preferably somewhat lower than the outer bowll; but ithe Ibowl 3 may it desired be made the same lieight vas theouter bowl il, in which case 'a 'single lid may cover both; or a singlewatch glass may be curved to cover both in any "case it desired. It isimmaterial whether thetwo bo'wll's l and 3 are integral with eah otherfor lse'p'arate, or whether the will be understood that the invent-ionis not inner bowl is lower, level, or slightly higher 0 than the outerbowl, though I believe it is preferable to have the inner bowl slightlylower than the outer one. But it is important that the outer bowl lshould entirely encircle or extend around the inner bowl 3, in orderthat the continuity and uniformity of action should not be disturbed bychanges in the direction of the air currents. For this reason roundbowls are preferable, or at least bowls of substantially regular contouror pattern.

The operation is as follows:A small quantity of HCl is poured in thebowl 3 and a small quantity of NH4OH is poured in the bowl 1, or viceversa. The vapor given oil spontaneously by the Nl-LOH rises andcombines with the vapor 2(given ott by the HC1 to form a smoke which isgiven ott so long" as the chemicals remain. It it is dcsired to stop theoperation before the chemicals are exhausted, the inner bowl is coveredby the lid 4l, or both bowls may be covered. I make no claim to thediscovery of the chemical reaction, it being` t-he same as in the priorapparatus mentioned; neither is my invention limited necessarily tothese particular chemicals, as any chemicals whose vapor on combiningproduces a lsmoke might be used. My invention relates not to thechemicals, but to the apparatus in which the chemicals operate.

In the foregoing I have described the principles 'of my invention, andillustrated one embodiment in its preferred form. It

limited to the particular 'form shown. as it may be applied with variousmodifications and adaptations as will be eviden-t to those skilled intheart. The apparatus which has been -used in the foregoing specificationas a basis for Yexplamrtion will be understood to be `merely by oflilllustration, whereas the essential features and combinations whichconstitute the invention are embodied in the following claims.

l. In a chemical smoke apparat-us, the

combination -ot a container tor a volatile liquid, a volatile liquid insaid Icontainer., a

second container, a second volatile liquid in said second container,said second volatile liquid beingcapable of forming a smoke in thepresence of the first mentioned volatile liquid, said second containerextending around on different sides of the lirst inentioned container,both containers being open at the top so that the vapors arising fromthe liquids below can coinmingle with substantially equal facilityirrespective of the side from which the air currents come.

2. In a chemical smoke apparatus, the combination of a container for avolatile liquid, a volatile liquid in said container, second container,a second volatile liquid in said second container, said second volatileliquid being capable of forming a smoke in the presence of the firstmentioned volatile liquid, a. cover for said first mentioned con tainer,said second container e\tendin2,` around on ldifferent sides of the.first inentioned container, both containers being open at the top sothat when the cover is removed the vapors arising from the liquids belowcan commingle with substantially equal facility irrespective of the sidefrom which the air currents come.

3. In a chemical smoke apparatus, the combination of a container for avolatile liquid, a volatile liquid in said container, a secondcontainer, a second volatile liquid in said second container, saidsecond volatile liquid being capable of forminga smoke in the presenceof' the iirst mentioned volatile liquid, means for covering saidcontainers, said second container extending around on diiferent sides ofthe first inentioned container, both containers being open at the top sothat when the covering means is removed the vapors arising from the liqui'ds below can coininingle with substantially equal facilityirrespective of the side from which the air currents come.

t. In a chemical smoke appa atus, the combination of a bowl adapted tocontain a volatile liquid, a volatile liquid in said bowl, a second bowladapted to contain another volatile liquid, a second volatile liquid insaid second bowl, said second volatile liquid being capable of forming asmoke in the presence of the first mentioned volatile liquid, saidsecond bowl being located within the first mentioned bowl, the two bowlsbeing open to each other and to the air above the level of the liquidsin them, whereby the vapors arising from the liquids can coinmingle withsubstantially equal facility irrespective of the direction of the aircurrents passing over the. bowls.

5. In a chemical smoke apparatus, the combination of a bowl adapted tocontain a volatile liquid, a volatile liquid in said bowl, a second bowladapted to contain another volatile liquid, a .second volatile liquidvin said second bowl, said second volatile liquid being capable offorming a smoke in the presence of the tirst mentioned volatile liquid,said second bowl being located within the lirst mentioned bowl, the twobowls being open to each other and to the air above the level of theliquids in them, whereby7 the vapors arising from the liquids cancoinmingle with substantially equal facility irrespective of thedirection of the air currents passing over the bowls, and means forcovering one of the bowls.

6. In a chemical smoke apparat-us, the combination of a bowl adapted tocontain a volatile liquid, a volatile liquid in said bowl, a second bowladapted to contain another volatile liquid, a second volatile liquid insaid second bowl, said second volatile liquid being capable of forming asmoke in the presence of the first mentioned volatile liquid, sai-dsecond bowl being located within the i'irst mentioned bowl, the twobowls being open to each other and to the air above the level of theliquids in them, whereby the vapors arising from the liquids cancoinniingle with substantially equal facility irrespective of thedirection of the air currents passing over the bowls, and means forcovering the bowls.

7. In a chemical .smoke apparatus, the combination of a container for avolatile liquid, a volatile liquid in said container, a secondcontainer, a second volatile liquid in said second container, saidsecond volatile liquid being capable of forming a smoke in the presenceof the first mentioned volatile liquid, said second container extendingaround on different sides of the first mentioned container, bothcontainers being open to each other and to the air above the level ofthe liquids in them, .so that the vapors arising from the. liquids belowcan com mingle with substantially equal facility irrespective of thedirection of the air currents passing over the containers.

8. In a chemical smoke apparatus, the combination of a container for avolatile liquid, a volatile liquid in said container, a secondcontainer, a second volatile liquid in said second container, saidsecond volatile liquid being capable of forming a smoke in the presenceof the first mentioned volatile liquid, said second container extendingaround on different sides of the first inentioned container, bothcontainers being open to each other and to the air above the level ofthe liquids in them, so that the vapors arising from the liquids belowcan commingle with substantially equal facility irrespectiveI of thedirection of the air cur# rents passing over the containers, and meansfor covering one of the containers.

9. In a chemical smoke apparatus, the combination of a container for avolatile liquid, a volatile liquid in said container, a secondcontainer, a second volatile liquid in arising from the li uids belowcan commingle with substantially equal facility irrespective of thedirection of the air currents passing over the containers, and means forcovering the containers.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 24 day of Feb.,1925.`

FRANK L. FAIRBANKS.

